Gamepro, a gaming publication that has been in the gaming press business since 1989, is closing down all their “BlogFaction” sites, including Gamegirl, XboxFanForce, and SlobsofGaming, to focus on their core property.
News like this always brings into question the sustainability of blogging sites; even a major publication like Gamepro couldn’t keep their blog sites up and running.
To be fair, there are a glut of freelance gaming blogs. Gamers are a passionate group, they’re tech-savvy, and they have strong opinions. There are dozens of blogs on every conceivable gaming topic, covering every conceivable niche market. Girl gamers, blogs focused solely on individual properties (such as Halo or Metal Gear), gamer parents, gamer kids, gay gamers, Christian gamers, and so on.
Does this signal a sea change in the realm of large gaming sites? It seems a smart move for the large gaming journals to pull back on their myriad niche properties and reign in their focus. Readers are more connected than ever, and often suffer from information overload.
BlogFaction site staff were given the word yesterday, and will be shutting down immediately. The sites will remain up, but no new content will be posted.
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